Summer Art Institute for Children
Submitted by Todd Hash on Wed, 06/08/2011 - 10:26am.
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Very Special Arts (VSA) Tennessee is offering its 9th annual art institute at Volunteer State Community College at the end of July. The focus of the Art Institute this year will be the Cowboy Culture. This is a fun and educational week for children with and without disabilities. VSA offers scholarships for children who cannot afford the $35 fee.
July 25-29, 2011
9am to noon
Volunteer State Community College
Grades 3-8
Cost $35 (some scholarships available)
Participants will learn about the cowboy culture through dance, music, visual art and literature.
At the end of the week, the participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have
learned through performance and an exhibition. The students will also receive a special
performance by Cowboy Dan.
Cowboy Dan was born in the ranch country of West Texas and earned a degree in agriculture. He moved to Nashville in 1990. "Writing and performing children's music was not something I
planned on doing when I came to town. It kinda pursued me. Now I can't imagine doing anthing
else." states Cowboy Dan.
While working for the music city cattle exchange, he was approached by the Tennessee Beef
Industry Council to develop an assembly program for elementary age students. Since 1996, he
has performed his high energy show for over 450,000 kids, parents and teachers. In addition to
covering the entire state of Tennessee, Cowboy Dan performed for families at such major events
as the Houston TX State Fair & Rodeo and the TX State Fair as well as in large markets like
Chicago. Major television network and newspapers in Memphis, Dallas, Houston and Nashville
have all featured Cowboy Dan. His Album "Yee Haw Says It All" won Best Children's Album
at the Nashville Music Awards in 1998.
Teaching Artists for the week include:
Music - Tammy Vice
Tammy believes that every child enjoys and deserves the opportunity to be creative."
This Nashville recording artist is produced by GodsChild Records. Her CDs include “Love Can
Grow”, “Miracles & Memories”, “Breaking The Chains”, & "More Than Just Getting By".
As a songwriter and artist, Tammy has had four songs hit #1 on Christian and Country charts.
She was the Country Music Hall of Fame's 2009 Nominee for the Mary Catherine Strobel
Volunteer Award. Tammy is the originator and host of the annual “Breaking The Chains” event
held at the Bluebird, each year in April, to promote autism awareness. She has become a strong
advocate after her younger daughter, Morgan, was diagnosed at age 3.
Visual Arts – Tiffany Dyer
Tiffany is responsible for the visual art activities and instruction. Tiffany Dyer is a certified and
highly qualified K-12 art educator and practicing visual artist. She has taught in the elementary
classroom for nine years and has taught numerous workshops to artists of all ages including
professional development to art educators. She has organized and led her own art camps for a
number of years. She is the owner, director and curator of Talula Gallery in Nashville and is a
member of the Nashville arts community. Her work has been show all over Tennessee,
Kentucky and Massachusetts. She is currently working on her Master of Fine Arts in a low
residency program at The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Boston, MA.
Dance - Deanne Collins
As a teaching artist, Deanne is known for her lively, information-packed happy presentations.
Activities become metaphors for curricula concepts and at the same time make the art form
accessible to teachers and students. Deanne traveled throughout the United States as one of the original Movement Specialists with the National Endowment for the Arts Arts-in-schools
program, and was affiliated with Wolf-Trap, the Nashville Art Institute and the Kennedy
Center’s Events for Teachers Program, and is part of the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Teaching Artist Roster. Deanne has done several programs for VSA Tennessee in both dance and theater and has always received rave reviews. She works with our summer arts camp in dance every year. Deanne has a hearing impairment and is considered an artist with a disability.
Literature - Debbie Watts
Debbie Watts is an award winning author who has worked with the Art Institute for many years.
She also taught for several years in the Sumner County system.
For more information: contact Lori Kissinger at userk7706@comcast.net or (615) 825-5252.
